In many traditional communications networks, fiber optic cables have been used to carry data long distances between telecommunication company installations. In such traditional communications networks, other types of cables, such as copper wire loops and coaxial cables, have been used to carry data from telecommunication company installations to homes and businesses. Recently, there has been a movement to extend the fiber optic portion of the communications networks closer to homes and businesses. In some circumstances, the fiber optic portions of the communications networks extend into to the homes and businesses themselves.
Extending the fiber optic portion of a communications network closer to homes and businesses has necessitated the deployment of Optical Termination Enclosures (OTEs). An OTE is an enclosure that is designed to facilitate splicing and termination of one or more fiber optic cables. A typical OTE has a set of cable entry ports through which fiber optic cables enter the OTE. For instance, an OTE may have eight cable entry ports. One or more of the cable entry ports may accommodate “feeder” cables that connect to upstream points, such as telecommunication company installations, in a communications network. One or more of the other cable entry ports may accommodate “drop” cables that connect to downstream points in the communications network, such as homes and businesses.
OTEs are frequently mounted on utility poles, walls, utility boxes, and other outdoor surfaces. Because OTEs are mounted outdoors, they are exposed to various environmental elements such as heat, cold, dust, sunlight, rain, snow, plants, animals, and so on. Because the splicing and termination capabilities of an OTE would be destroyed or impaired if such environmental elements were permitted to access the interior of the OTE, it is important to ensure that such environmental elements are not permitted to access the interior of the OTE.